Talking with Tarsky
- Administrator
- 8 hours ago
- 6 min read
May 2026
Welcome back to Talking with Tarsky! We closed out a busy May—keep reading below!
May Highlights
Thank you to everyone who joined me for the "State of the District" presentations this month.
These events have been a valuable opportunity to share updates on the work being done at the State House, discuss priorities for our district, and hear directly from residents about the issues that matter most to them.
I appreciate everyone who attended, asked questions, and shared their thoughts. Engaging with constituents is one of the most important parts of this job, and your feedback helps inform the work I do on behalf of Dover, Medfield, and Needham.
Thank you for being part of the conversation, and I look forward to continuing to serve our community!
You can download the slides from the presentation below.
Military Appreciation Day
It was a privilege to recognize Needham resident, author, and Vietnam veteran Tom Keating, who was honored at this year’s Military Appreciation Day ceremony at the State House.
Hosted by the Massachusetts Executive Office of Veterans Services in collaboration with the Massachusetts Legislature, this annual event celebrates the service and sacrifices of veterans, active-duty military members, and military families from across the Commonwealth.
Tom’s service to our nation, his contributions as an author, and his continued engagement in our community make him a deserving honoree. Congratulations, Tom, and thank you for your service and dedication!
CAPE & SNACCKS Acts
I attended a legislative briefing hosted by the Center for Celiac Research and Treatment on the CAPE and SNACCKS Acts—two important proposals aimed at improving the lives of children and families impacted by celiac disease.
The Celiac Awareness and Pediatric Evaluation (CAPE) Act would establish a three-year pilot program to expand screening for celiac disease among 12-year-olds. With celiac disease still significantly underdiagnosed in children, this initiative has the potential to improve early detection, strengthen health outcomes, and connect families with the resources they need—while also gathering critical data to inform future nationwide screening efforts.
The Safe Nutrition, Allergen, and Celiac Communication for Kids (SNACCKS) Act focuses on improving transparency and accessibility within the Universal School Meals Program for students with medically restrictive diets, including those living with celiac disease.
Most impactful was hearing directly from families navigating these challenges every day. Their stories were a powerful reminder of why this work matters and the importance of ensuring every child has access to safe, healthy food and appropriate care.
Thank you to Senator Joan B. Lovely & State Rep. Michelle Badger for the invitation to attend.
Learn more about the research, visit https://www.massgeneral.org/children/celiac-disease/
In the News
Needham Observer: Mixed reactions to cellphone, social media legislation
Cellphones would disappear from Massachusetts public school classrooms (as they already have in Needham), and teens would face new social media age limits, under legislation that has generated both praise and questions in Needham as it moves to the state Senate.
The measure titled “An Act to promote student learning and mental health,” cleared the House of Representatives 129-25 on April 8 and is now headed to the state Senate.
The legislation would require social media companies to verify users’ ages and prohibit children younger than 14 from having social media accounts. Older minors — 15- and 16-year-olds — would require parental consent. It would also prohibit cellphone use during the school day.
Lawmakers, joined by Massachusetts Attorney General Andrea Campbell, filed the bill in July 2025, and it has since undergone several revisions.
Needham’s State Rep. Joshua Tarsky supports the bill. “I think that’s going to help schools, faculty, staff, the communities, and the students,” he said.
Tarsky previously worked as a teacher in Lawrence and served as the principal of Holbrook Middle High School.
“One of the things that I saw the most was a correlation between social media and phone use and social emotional stress and anxiety,” said Tarsky. “I think putting some boundaries around that, which this bill does, is going to help students. It’s going to help communities and families, not just with student discipline issues, but also mental health in general.”
Legislation Updates
On May 20th, the House passed five important pieces of legislation:
H.5441, An Act relative to newborn screenings for congenital cytomegalovirus
The bill requires DPH, in consultation with the perinatal advisory committee, to develop regulations for all hospitals and birthing facilities requiring congenital cytomegalovirus (cCMV) screening. It also requires DPH to undertake a pilot program for universal cCMV screening to optimize processes for testing, reporting, and medical care.
The bill also requires the Commissioner of DPH to establish, promote, and maintain a public information program regarding cCMV, and make it available to any health care provider, physician assistant, nurse, or midwife who renders prenatal or postnatal care or offers fertility counseling or care to a parent or guardian. A hospital, birthing facility, or any health care provider, physician assistant, nurse, or midwife who renders prenatal or postnatal care must give expectant or new parents or guardians the information provided by DPH. The bill passed the House of Representatives 155-1.
H.5443, An Act relative to increasing access to epinephrine
The bill allows an authorized entity to acquire and maintain a supply of epinephrine autoinjectors from a wholesaler approved by the Department of Public Health (DPH), and allows an employee or agent of an authorized entity who has completed a training program to use epinephrine autoinjectors, on the premises of or in connection with the authorized entity, to provide or administer epinephrine to any individual they believe in is experiencing anaphylaxis. The bill passed the House of Representatives 154-0.
H.5444, An Act relative to civil rights and technology
The bill makes it unlawful for a person to manufacture, modify, sell, transfer, possess or operate a robotic device equipped or mounted with a weapon. It also makes it unlawful for a person to use a robotic device to threaten to commit a crime, criminally harass a person, or physically restrain or attempt to physically restrain a person. The bill includes exemptions for law enforcement agencies. The bill passed the House of Representatives 155-1.
S.2903, An Act honoring Blue Star Families
The bill requires the Registrar of Motor Vehicles (RMV) to furnish, without charge, a distinctive vehicle registration plate or a distinctive motorcycle emblem to a parent, child, spouse, sibling, or grandchildren of a law enforcement officer who has been killed in the line of duty. The bill passed the House of Representatives 156-0.
S.2565, An Act facilitating better interactions between police officers and persons with autism spectrum disorder
The bill requires the RMV to make blue envelopes available, upon request, to any person with autism spectrum disorder or their parent or guardian. It requires State Police, in consultation with the RMV, the Massachusetts Chiefs of Police Association, Advocates for Autism of Massachusetts, or any other organization that advocates for people with autism spectrum disorder, to design blue envelopes that provide written information and guidance on the outside of the envelope on ways to enhance effective communication between a police officer and a person with autism spectrum disorder. The envelopes must also include instructions for access to the envelope, including attaching the envelope to the sun visor on the driver’s side of the vehicle, and can hold a person’s license and registration. The bill passed the House of Representatives 156-0.
Looking Ahead
June Office Hours
As the weather warms up and summer approaches, our office is excited to welcome our second internship cohort as well as our first high school fellowship! These high schoolers and college students will get a taste of the State House and its inner workings as they help with constituent cases, policy research, and the general day-to-day of running an elected official’s office. We’re also looking forward to June and July, as they are the last two months of the session, while Senators, Representatives, and other elected officials use the fall to run for office. Fortunately, I am currently running unopposed, but that doesn’t mean I won’t campaign hard for our district’s vote—I hope to see you at your door in the upcoming months!
Yours in Community,
Josh
As always, if you need anything from my office, please reach out to Kyle or me by email (joshua.tarsky@mahouse.gov | kyle.mcgrath@mahouse.gov) or by phone at (617) 722-2582
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